excessive rear end back lash be reduced w/ hand tools?

[RONS98TA]

The trans has to be in neutral, not park, to check for u-joint play. If the trans is in park there will be tension on the u-joint from the car being in park.

[Cutlass]

Not true

[pajeff02]

Agree. If the joint is bad you'll know it. I suppose if the vehicle was parked on a hill or something then there would be greater pressure on the joint, but when they get bad enough to clunk you easily feel the slop.

[RONS98TA]

I understand what you guys are saying, but I always just put the e-brake on, then place the vehicle in neutral just to take the pressure off the joints to make it easier to detect even the slightest amount of play in the joints. I had a situation once where the car was in park and the pressure from the car on the u-joint, made it seem as though the joint was good. After placing it in neutral, the tiny bit of play was way more noticeable.

[Cutlass]

I kinda understood what you meant too. I always check them by hand in neutral w/ the wheels off the ground, but they could checked in park, wheels off the ground too. If it was wheels on the ground (or parking brake on) and in park, you might have to use a screwdriver or pry bar to feel the looseness.